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Q&A with RES NULLIUS

This week we caught up with Irene and Masashi, designers behind SED ETIAM by RES NULLIUS. The duo brings you high quality and easy to wear fashion at an appealing price! Read about their inspirations behind their Spring / Summer 2013 Portofino collection.

Also, we have an exclusive GIVEAWAY for you! Enter for the chance to WIN the featured BETTY jumpsuit!! Details below.

A: What is SED ETIAM?

RN:Compromise is the word for SED ETIAM. We are a design team of 2, one who is half Italian and half Swiss (Irene) and a Japanese designer (Masashi) both based in Rome. We chose Latin over the redundant English, and decided to give homage to Rome, where we met and where we are based.

The compromise is also seen in our line, a compromise between high fashion and street wear.

GEMMA / SHORTS

A: What makes SED ETIAM by RES NULLIUS stand out in the fashion world – what is unique about this line?

RN: SED ETIAM challenges the fashion market rules. It’s even a provocation, if you like, the democratic idea of fashion.

We started with a deep dive into fabric research in order to fill the need of high quality, Italian crafted, easy-to-wear clothing but offering it at reasonable retail prices. We’re not willing to compromise our design philosophy. We believe in hard work. It’s the quality that sets us apart and it comes from the experience of skillful hands of the people that work with us with each collection.

Our style works well within the rigorous way we see fashion. Our outfits are defined by straight lines and well defined shapes. And we offer “MADE IN ITALY” born from two non-Italian designers, what is more unique than this?

A: Tell us a bit about the S/S 2013 collection – how do the selected materials and shapes reflect your idea of the summer breeze of an old-fashioned Italian vacation?

RN: S/S 2013 was designed to recall the elegance of a chaste, white Italian holiday. These holidays used to start in June and end in September. There were really hot days and some breezy nights and the women were always perfectly covered for the beach during the day and equally sophisticated for the city in the evening.

We started picturing warm terraces for the daytime outfits and cooler black and white cities for the evening outfits. Fresh, wide, long sleeves, cotton made shirts, egg shaped dresses were the first to come in mind.

MARTA

A: Where do you believe would be the ideal summer vacation in Italy to parade your collection?

RN: Every place in Italy is a good place to wear SED ETIAM of course! And not just Italy! Summer in Italy is all about abandoning the city and trying to search shelter at the closest village – to escape the city stress and the city heat. The place we thought of was Portofino in the Northwest part of Italy. Back in the days, it was a classic holiday destination. But we also like those lazy, languid days in the empty cities, like Rome when all of a sudden the city becomes silent and desolate.

PORTOFINO

Black is our signature color, it is a timeless classic, and occasionally we sprinkle on white and blue…

INTERO

A: One of your pieces that we are totally in love with is The Betty Jumpsuit. It’s fresh and simple – tell us why every woman should have one.

RN: We both love jumpsuits. We make a jumpsuit for every collection. We strongly believe that every woman should have a jumpsuit in her closet. Wearing a jumpsuit is a statement for a self confident, sophisticated and feminine woman.

BETTY

Our Betty perfectly represents our rigorous view of fashion design, as we said before, straight lines, easy cuts no frills. Betty was in our very first collection and it went viral. So we redesigned it for the Portofino inspired collection. While picturing the S/S 2013 collection we thought of coloring it in white and blue stripes as it recalls the first bathing suits. Of course, as it is a SED ETIAM piece, it comes in color block, black and white.

BETTYWhite & Blue Stripes

A: Can you please describe the RES NULLIUS woman? Who is she?

RN: Res Nullius women know what they want. Our design is made for someone who doesn’t need a dress to impress, a woman that is self confident, determined and straightforward. She is not afraid to cover herself or to dare to get eyes on her. She wears simple, clean cut dresses and still manages to look sophisticated. Her priorities are elegance and femininity without loosing the practical, functional aspect of fashion.

A: Any current projects/collaborations you can share with our readers? Any plans for expanding the product line?

RN: We are currently looking to expand into emerging markets like Asia and South America. We will celebrate one year anniversary of our shop in Rome on June 1st and you are all welcome to visit and have a glass of wine with us! We hope to continue our research and never lose touch with our clients that of course are the first line of motivation and inspiration.

CONGRATULATIONS ON CELEBRATING YOUR SHOP’S 1ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Now for the moment you have all been waiting for…. the GIVEAWAY! Do you love the BETTY?! How can you not?? NOW is your chance to WIN it! Enter HERE for the chance to WIN the BETTY jumpsuit!